Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

Export control is primarily an issue for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which is exploring the issue of strengthening controls and legislation in that respect.

On the question of whether Ireland is canvassing, I am vocal at all international fora and have been supportive of the proposal at recent EU meetings. While its need is acknowledged, most member states, not least Ireland, fully understand that this treaty should achieve a worldwide spread and account must be taken of the proliferation of small arms. I have figures on the type of financial assistance which we give to efforts around to world to deal with the proliferation of small arms. In the region of 600 million small arms are available worldwide and 300,000 people die from them annually. We are strong on this issue, given that we are a country which does not have an arms trade, and can speak with conviction to it.

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